Central switch for coupling virtual desktops to peripheral devices

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes coupling a plurality of virtual machines to a plurality of peripheral devices via a central switch where the plurality of virtual machines are running a plurality of virtual desktops. A data packet is received from a virtual machine where the data packet is received in a first format compatible with a virtual desktop being run in the virtual machine. The central switch determines a peripheral device that corresponds to the virtual desktop. Then, the central switch generates a peripheral signal from the data packet that is configured to be sent to the peripheral device. The peripheral signal is in a second format compatible with the peripheral device and different from the first format. The peripheral signal is sent to the peripheral device where the peripheral device can process the peripheral signal for the virtual desktop being run in the virtual machine.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for coupling a plurality of virtual machines to a plurality of peripheral devices via a central switch, wherein the plurality of virtual machines are running a plurality of virtual desktops, the method comprising:
 receiving a data packet from a virtual machine in one of the plurality of virtual machines coupled to the central switch, the data packet received in a first format compatible with a virtual desktop being run in the virtual machine; 
 determining, by the central switch, a peripheral device in the plurality of peripheral devices that corresponds to the virtual desktop based on identification data associated with the virtual desktop including a port number specific to the virtual desktop, wherein each peripheral device of the plurality of peripheral devices is associated with a different virtual desktop; 
 generating, by the central switch, a peripheral signal from the data packet that is configured to be sent to the peripheral device; and 
 sending, by the central switch, the peripheral signal to the peripheral device via a converter, wherein the converter converts the peripheral signal to a second format compatible with the peripheral device that processes the peripheral signal for the virtual desktop being run in the virtual machine, and wherein each peripheral device in the plurality of peripheral devices is associated with a single different converter. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the peripheral signal is in a third format is compatible with the converter. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the converter is coupled to a each of the plurality of peripheral devices. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the converter is a Keyboard, Video, Mouse (KVM) converter configured to convert the peripheral signal to at least one of a keyboard compatible signal, a video compatible signal, and a mouse compatible signal. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the peripheral device comprises:
 determining identification information for the virtual machine; and 
 determining the peripheral device that corresponds to the identification information. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device processes the peripheral signal without establishing a virtual desktop session with the virtual desktop via a connection using the first format. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a peripheral signal from the peripheral device; 
 determining the virtual machine in the plurality of virtual machines that corresponds to the peripheral device; 
 generating a data packet from the peripheral signal for the virtual machine; and 
 sending the data packet to the virtual machine, the virtual machine processing the data packet for the virtual desktop being run in the virtual machine. 
 
     
     
       8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for coupling a plurality of virtual machines to a plurality of peripheral devices via a central switch, wherein the plurality of virtual machines are running a plurality of virtual desktops, and wherein the instructions, when executed, control the central switch to be configured for:
 receiving a data packet from a virtual machine in one of the plurality of virtual machines coupled to the central switch, the data packet received in a first format compatible with a virtual desktop being run in the virtual machine; 
 determining, by the central switch, a peripheral device in the plurality of peripheral devices that corresponds to the virtual desktop based on identification data associated with the virtual desktop including a port number specific to the virtual desktop, wherein each peripheral device of the plurality of peripheral devices is associated with a different virtual desktop; 
 generating, by the central switch, a peripheral signal from the data packet that is configured to be sent to the peripheral device; and 
 sending, by the central switch, the peripheral signal to the peripheral device via a converter, wherein the converter converts the peripheral signal to a second format compatible with the peripheral device that processes the peripheral signal for the virtual desktop being run in the virtual machine, and wherein each peripheral device in the plurality of peripheral devices is associated with a single different converter. 
 
     
     
       9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the peripheral signal is in a third format is compatible with the converter. 
 
     
     
       10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the converter is coupled to a each of the plurality of peripheral devices. 
 
     
     
       11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the converter is a Keyboard, Video, Mouse (KVM) converter configured to convert the peripheral signal to at least one of a keyboard compatible signal, a video compatible signal, and a mouse compatible signal. 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein determining the peripheral device comprises:
 determining identification information for the virtual machine; and 
 determining the peripheral device that corresponds to the identification information. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the peripheral device processes the peripheral signal without establishing a virtual desktop session with the virtual desktop via a connection using the first format. 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , further configured for:
 receiving a peripheral signal from the peripheral device; 
 determining the virtual machine in the plurality of virtual machines that corresponds to the peripheral device; 
 generating a data packet from the peripheral signal for the virtual machine; and 
 sending the data packet to the virtual machine, the virtual machine processing the data packet for the virtual desktop being run in the virtual machine. 
 
     
     
       15. A central switch for coupling a plurality of virtual machines to a plurality of peripheral devices via the central switch, wherein the plurality of virtual machines are running a plurality of virtual desktops, the central switch comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, that when executed, control the one or more processors to be configured for:
 receiving a data packet from a virtual machine in one of the plurality of virtual machines coupled to the central switch, the data packet received in a first format compatible with a virtual desktop being run in the virtual machine; 
 determining, by the central switch, a peripheral device in the plurality of peripheral devices that corresponds to the virtual desktop based on identification data associated with the virtual desktop including a port number specific to the virtual desktop, wherein each peripheral device of the plurality of peripheral devices is associated with a different virtual desktop; 
 generating, by the central switch, a peripheral signal from the data packet that is configured to be sent to the peripheral device; and 
 sending, by the central switch, the peripheral signal to the peripheral device via a converter, wherein the converter converts the peripheral signal to a second format compatible with the peripheral device that processes the peripheral signal for the virtual desktop being run in the virtual machine, and wherein each peripheral device in the plurality of peripheral devices is associated with a single different converter. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The central switch of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the peripheral signal is in a third format is compatible with the converter. 
 
     
     
       17. The central switch of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the converter is coupled to a each of the plurality of peripheral devices. 
 
     
     
       18. The central switch of  claim 16 , wherein the converter is a Keyboard, Video, Mouse (KVM) converter configured to convert the peripheral signal to at least one of a keyboard compatible signal, a video compatible signal, and a mouse compatible signal. 
     
     
       19. The central switch of  claim 15 , wherein determining the peripheral device comprises:
 determining identification information for the virtual machine; and 
 determining the peripheral device that corresponds to the identification information. 
 
     
     
       20. The central switch of  claim 15 , wherein the peripheral device processes the peripheral signal without establishing a virtual desktop session with the virtual desktop via a connection using the first format. 
     
     
       21. The central switch of  claim 15 , further configured for:
 receiving a peripheral signal from the peripheral device; 
 determining the virtual machine in the plurality of virtual machines that corresponds to the peripheral device; 
 generating a data packet from the peripheral signal for the virtual machine; and 
 sending the data packet to the virtual machine, the virtual machine processing the data packet for the virtual desktop being run in the virtual machine.